Names
by Inklessquills
Summary: People's fates are simplified by their names- Elias Canetti (AU oneshot)


Names

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Hunger Games.

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An old woman sits in a chair and faces a camera. She has dark hair and plain brown eyes; no more Capitol enhancements. She speaks in a raspy voice.

"The day set for the feast at the Cornucopia was bright and really just beautiful. Not at all reflective of the events that would follow, but that tended to be the case in the arena. The girl, Clove was her name, waited for the right moment to strike. I switched from her screen over to her district partners. Cato. It was my job to keep track of them both, the district two tributes. She had told him to go and look for Finch, the girl from 5, who had been clever enough to take her pack and run. He argued at first, telling her that he'd stay and guard her. But Clove didn't like to look weak and she was having none of that." The woman chuckles.

"And I watched. I watched as Clove, the girl who thought her self the predator, became the prey of the large district 11 boy, Thresh. I saw it as clearly I saw Cato hesitate to leave her and chase after 5 earlier that day.

I was taken back to all of the moments I was forced to edit out of the broadcast. All of their more friendly conversations about home, about their friends, about their families. They were close. I don't know how close but you'd have to be blind not to notice. Or you had to be someone other than me and them." She laughs sadly and takes a drink of water.

"They spent a long time as allies in the arena and I expected some sort of bond to form. It happened all the time when tributes allied together. I remember the second Quarter Quell, and the tributes from 12. They worked so well together but in the end, only one of them made it. The victor was the boy, and he was left scarred by the loss of his district partner. We all know him now, Haymitch Abernathy." Pause. "I knew the same would happen to either Cato or Clove. The rule change wasn't made to last. Seneca made it clear that it was temporary. Neither was prepared to lose the other so watching it happen was an emotional thing for me. The Capitol loved drama and we were paid to provide it. But this wasn't what they were being given. They had their star-crossed lovers. No one wanted to see two murderers.

Thresh came out of nowhere and Clove didn't stand a chance. He threw her around, she weighed nothing. It was terrible but I couldn't look away. She screamed so loudly that I though surely Cato could hear her, but he didn't. I looked at his screen and saw he was too, far away.

Thresh thought Clove killed his little district partner and he was wrong. You know, she actually told Cato that she would not do it. He would have to do it himself or ask Marvel to kill her. Obviously, I edited that out because it didn't fit the role of the villains we had assigned them." A beat of silence. The camera man asks if she wants to stop. She shakes her head.

"Well, things went from bad to worse in seconds. Thresh questioned her about the death of Rue, the little girl. And she kept saying "no! no! it wasn't me!" and Thresh never believed her. Then he picked up a rock, it was about this big," She uses her hands to demonstrate the size of the rock, "and was ready to strike her. Poor girl, she lost it. She called out to the other boy. just screeching "ct! ct!" and it was awful to witness because I knew she would die. Finally, Cato heard her. I think he decided to give up on the hunt and go find her, so he was closer now. He ran when he heard her screaming and he called out her name. He looked so worried then. I don't think he ever thought he'd care so much for his ally. Tributes from two weren't taught to help their partners, but he was going to rescue her. He wanted her to live. I think that's when he knew it." The woman is crying and she is given a box of tissues. She takes one and dabs her eyes.

"Thresh took action then. He drew back that rock and he just-"

Clove stops the video and closes her laptop, not wanting to see the rest of the video interview. The 20 year old was currently working on a project about the 74th Hunger Games. She had watched the interview with game maker,Claudia Pepperwood, about 10 times now. The woman was asked to describe what impacted her the most about the 74th Hunger Games. Clove knew how the story ended. With a dead girl and a broken boy who was too late to save her. And too late in realizing that losing her would hurt.

She couldn't help it, she felt as though she had a connection with them. Not only was she also from district two, but she shared a name with the dead girl! People named their kids after those tributes in the early years after the rebellion, thinking it would honor their memories. It was their deaths that allowed Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark to live and lead a rebellion. But almost two centuries later, the names weren't nearly as common. Her mother, a games expert, named all three of her daughters after female tributes from the 74th games. The eldest was Glimmer, who was getting married in two months. Clove realized she still didn't have a date to the wedding. Next was Katniss; She was athletic and kind to everyone she met. Clove was the youngest. She liked keeping to herself and focusing on school.

She decided she had done enough research for the day. Her work would continue with district three tomorrow but now she needed some sleep. She packed up her laptop and gathered her books and left the library. She fell into a brisk walk, wanting to be home as soon as possible.

"Hey!" She hears someone call. Clove stops and waits for the stranger to reach her. There's a book in his hand.

"You dropped this." He says, a friendly smile on his handsome face.

The book was one all about the 74th games and their significance. The sidewalk was full of people today and he had been the only one kind enough to pick it up and return it.

"Oh wow! Thank you!" She says, feeling truly grateful. Just as she was about to walk away, the boy spoke.

"So you're interested in the games? Cool. That's cool."He probably didn't know much about them. People didn't just read about the Hunger Games for entertainment. It wasn't even taught in depth at school anymore. Too, violent.

"They're interesting, yes, but I'm working on a project for school." Clove says.

"You go to school here at Capitol University? I've never seen you around! It's my third year." He tells her.

"Second year. I have to get going. Thanks again for giving me the book. I would have been lost without it!" She gives him one last smile and walks away.

"Wait up! It's probably going to start raining soon," he looks up at the gloomy gray sky, "It's going to rain, you know. I don't think you have an umbrella." Clove shakes her head, "You're in luck! I've brought one just in case. I'll walk you home. If it rains you won't get a drop on your books."

Her apartment wasn't that far and she'd probably make it before the rain came. Plus, she has no idea who this guy is. Sure, he's nice and very good looking, but that's about all she knows.

"Look," Clove starts, "I appreciate the offer but I think I'll be fine. Besides, I don't even know you-"

"Cato. Business major at Capitol University. Favorite color's red. Born and raised in District two! You are...?" he extends his right hand, a smirk on his lips.

Clove was stunned by the name. Cato? Really? That was **his **name. The boy from the games. They were both from two, but finding people from two in the Capitol is easy since it's one of the nearby districts. It was his name that stood out.

She couldn't help the smile that took over her face when she heard his name. Like her own, the name Cato hasn't been popular in years.

She accepts the hand shake. Looks like she'll have someone to walk with her today.

"Clove. My name's Clove. History major. Favorite color's blue. Also from two." He offers his arm, like a gentleman, and Clove takes it with an eye roll.

"Cato and Clove from two," he muses as they begin walking ," has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"I guess." She agrees.

The tributes Cato and Clove never got a chance to see what they could accomplish together. But maybe this Cato and Clove would.

* * *

I don't know if it's really a Clato one shot, since it's not the actually Cato and Clove in the end. They do have the same names, so maybe? I don't know. This oneshot was inspired by another similar one I read. I found it a while ago and I've been trying to find it again but it vanished. I thought I could give it try. If anyone knows about the original, please let me know! I'd love to read it again. Anyway, review please!


End file.
